RCMP say a 34-year-old man has been charged with dangerous operation of an aircraft after a helicopter landed near a local Dairy Queen.
It’s a day Al Jellicoe will never forget.
The mayor of Tisdale, Sask., was driving through town the afternoon of July 31 when he noticed something a little odd.
A red helicopter had just landed in the parking lot of the town’s middle and secondary school.
A woman got out of the chopper, crossed the street in front of Jellicoe and entered the local Dairy Queen.
“Well, I thought somebody must be hungry,” said Jellicoe.
“Initially, I thought that’s probably not the right thing to do.”
The RCMP agree with the mayor’s assessment. On Wednesday, police announced that the 34-year-old pilot had been charged with one case of dangerous operation of an aircraft.
Police said a passenger walked into the restaurant and bought an ice cream cake.
The police release noted the helicopter blew up dust and dirt as it landed in the area, which is also near the town’s recreation complex.
At first, Jellicoe thought the helicopter was a STARS air ambulance, but said it quickly became apparent that was not the case.
The mayor noted that no one was hurt.
“Actually, the parking lot was empty when they landed,” he said.
“I suppose that doesn’t make it right.”
The pilot is scheduled to make his first court appearance in Melfort provincial court on Sept. 7.
Tisdale is 195 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon.